A crack cocaine addict has been jailed for five years after he carried out two despicable broad daylight attacks on women.
Bradford Crown Court heard how Michael Woods, 24, snatched a purse from a pensioner as she used a cash machine before a violent bag snatch, just over a fortnight later, left another woman badly injured.
Prosecutor Giles Bridge revealed that the purse stolen from Woods’ 67-year-old victim contained a photograph of her late grandson which was of significant sentimental value to her.
Woods, formerly of Albert Drive, Halifax, had withdrawn the remaining 94p he had in his bank account minutes before he snatched the pensioner’s purse as she tried to withdraw cash herself from an ATM outside the Yorkshire Bank premises.
As well as containing the treasured photograph, the stolen purse also had about £35 in it together with supermarket vouchers, bank cards and a bus pass.
Mr Bridge said Woods, who had previous convictions for robbery as a juvenile, was later identified after enquiries with the bank, but he not arrested until after he had committed a violent street robbery involving a 57-year-old woman.
The court heard how Woods grabbed his victim’s bag as she walked along Sandhall Lane, but the complainant bravely tried to hold onto it during a struggle with him.
Mr Bridge said the woman continued to hang onto the bag even after falling to the ground, but the strap snapped and Woods was able to run off with it.
A passer-by later retrieved the stolen bag, but the injured woman was taken to hospital where it was discovered she had suffered a displaced fracture to her upper arm.
Mr Giles said the victim was due to undergo surgery to have a metal plate fitted in the arm last week, but he had no update on her condition.
In her statement the woman said she had been in constant pain because of the injury and had struggled with day-to-day tasks.
Woods pleaded guilty to charges of theft from the person and robbery in relation to the two attacks which took place in May and June this year.
The court heard he was finally arrested after being found hiding in a cupboard and he told officers he had been offending to get money to buy crack cocaine.
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Woods apologised for injuring the woman in the bag snatch and Judge Neil Davey QC was told that the defendant was now addressing his drug problem in custody.
Jailing Woods Judge Davey said he had no doubt he had chosen to steal from women because he thought they would put up less resistance.
The judge said the injured victim had suffered consequences which would live with her forever.
Woods was told that if he had been convicted of the offences after a trial he would have been jailed for over seven years, but his early guilty pleas meant he received a third off that jail term.
